How do structured snippets improve ad relevance?

What structured snippets are (and what they’re not)

Structured snippet assets are a Search Network enhancement that lets you add a predefined header (such as “Amenities” or “Service catalog”) followed by a list of specific values. Think of them as a fast, scannable “menu” of what you offer that appears under your text ad. They’re designed to highlight the range of products or services, not a one-off marketing claim.

The detail that surprises many advertisers is that structured snippets aren’t clickable. That’s not a downside—it’s part of why they work. Because they don’t create another “path” to click, they function as a relevance filter and context layer, helping the right people click your headline while discouraging the wrong people from clicking at all.

How they appear also matters for relevance. On desktop, the ad can show up to two snippet headers at a time, while mobile and tablet typically show one header. The platform selects which eligible header(s) and values to show and will only serve them when they’re predicted to improve performance. Even when an asset is eligible, it’s not guaranteed to show on every impression.

Why “not clickable” still improves performance

When structured snippets are written well, they answer key “pre-click” questions like “Do they carry the brand I need?”, “Do they service my exact use case?”, or “Is this the type of provider I’m looking for?” That clarity increases the likelihood that a click turns into a meaningful session (and ultimately a conversion), which is the kind of relevance that actually moves account results.

How structured snippets improve ad relevance (the mechanics)

Ad relevance isn’t just about matching a keyword to a headline. It’s about matching a searcher’s intent to a credible, specific offer. Structured snippets improve that match by turning your ad from a generic promise into a categorized inventory of what you actually sell or do.

For example, if a search implies the user is comparing options (“best moving company services” or “hair salon near me”), a “Service catalog” snippet that lists concrete services can make your ad feel immediately more tailored than a competitor who only says “Top-rated service.” If the search implies a preference filter (“hotel with pool” or “apartment downtown”), an “Amenities” or “Neighborhoods” snippet helps the user self-qualify in seconds.

This improves relevance in three practical ways. First, you earn more of the right clicks by making the ad more specific. Second, you reduce wasted spend by discouraging mismatched clicks (people realize you don’t offer what they want before they visit). Third, you strengthen the overall message consistency between query, ad, and landing page by echoing the same categories and language users expect to see after the click.

CTR lift that doesn’t come from hype

Structured snippets can increase click-through rate because they add useful, concrete information—not because they’re promotional. In my experience managing accounts at scale, the biggest CTR gains happen when snippets reflect real buying criteria (brands carried, service types, models supported, coverage types) rather than broad categories that don’t help someone decide.

One important nuance: since the platform selects assets dynamically from your eligible pool, your job is to provide enough high-quality, properly structured options so the system can choose the best match for each auction. The more relevant options you give it, the more often you’ll show a snippet that fits the specific search context.

Implementation strategy: build snippets that stay relevant as campaigns scale

The best structured snippet setups are built like account infrastructure, not like one-off creative. You can add them at the account, campaign, or ad group level, and more granular assets override higher-level ones. That hierarchy is powerful if you use it intentionally: keep “always true” snippet sets at the account level, then add campaign/ad group snippet sets where the offer changes meaningfully (for example, different service lines, different product categories, or different audiences).

Coverage is a real performance lever here. Aim to include at least four values per header whenever possible, and add more than one header-value set so the system has options. Also, remember that the header must match the values; mismatches are among the most common causes of disapprovals and missed delivery.

Dynamic structured snippets are worth keeping enabled for most advertisers because they require no setup and can increase opportunities for snippets to show. They can appear alongside your manual snippets or replace them when predicted to perform better. If the system generates something you don’t want shown, you can pause or remove individual dynamic snippets (and if you truly must, you can opt out entirely—though that’s rarely the best first move).

A short build checklist (the fastest path to “relevance-ready” snippets)

• Choose the header based on user intent, not internal categories. Use headers that mirror how customers shop (brands, services, models, destinations, coverage types).
• Write values as clean inventory items. One item per value field; let the platform handle separators.
• Start broad, then specialize. Put universally accurate sets at the account level; add campaign/ad group sets for tighter intent.
• Create multiple header sets. More eligible combinations increases the likelihood a relevant snippet serves.
• Plan for modern asset behavior. Certain legacy scheduling controls for structured snippets have been deprecated as part of the asset upgrade, so don’t rely on snippet scheduling as your primary way to control messaging timing.

Common disapprovals that quietly destroy relevance (and how to avoid them)

Because structured snippets are meant to be informative, the policies and formatting rules are stricter than many advertisers expect. If you treat them like mini ad copy, you’ll often get disapprovals or limited serving, which means fewer relevant impressions and fewer chances to win clicks.

• Don’t add attention-grabbing punctuation or symbols. Anything that’s there only to stand out (extra exclamation marks, symbols, decorative punctuation) is a common rejection trigger.
• Don’t repeat values within a header or across headers. Repetition can be disallowed and also reduces the system’s ability to match the best snippet to the search.
• Don’t cram multiple items into one value. Each value field should contain a single item (no comma-stuffing).
• Don’t use promotional language inside values. Avoid “Free shipping,” “Sale,” “Best,” and similar offers inside snippet values; use other asset types for promotions.
• Match the header to the values exactly. If the header is “Brands,” the values must be actual brands you offer; if the header is “Models,” use model names—not manufacturers, years, or specs.

How to measure whether snippets are improving relevance (without guessing)

To evaluate structured snippets properly, don’t just look at account-wide CTR. Review asset performance in the Assets reporting and compare how your ads perform when the asset shows versus when it doesn’t. Focus on CTR, conversion rate, and cost per conversion trends over a meaningful sample size. Since structured snippets aren’t clickable, clicks attributed in reporting typically represent clicks on the ad when the snippet appeared—exactly what you want to judge relevance impact.

If performance is flat, it’s usually not a signal to remove snippets; it’s a signal to tighten the header/value mapping, increase the number of eligible snippet sets, and make sure your values reflect real differentiators (not generic categories). The advertisers who get the most value from structured snippets treat them as a structured representation of their offer—clear, complete, and consistently aligned to search intent.

Structured snippet assets improve ad relevance by adding a non-clickable, predefined header (such as “Services,” “Brands,” or “Amenities”) with a short list of concrete values that works like a mini “menu” under your Search ad, helping users instantly confirm you offer what they’re looking for before they click. Because they answer common pre-click questions (coverage, models, service types, locations), they act as a relevance filter: fewer mismatched clicks, more intentional clicks, and a tighter alignment from query to ad to landing page—especially when your headers and values mirror real buying criteria and the same categories on your site. In practice, the best results come from keeping snippets “always true,” policy-compliant, and structured around how people compare options, then measuring impact by comparing performance on impressions where snippets show versus when they don’t; if you want to streamline that process, Blobr’s Structured Snippet Extension Optimizer agent can review your existing snippet sets across account/campaign/ad group levels and suggest compliant, higher-relevance replacements based on what’s actually performing.